Most of you, I’m sure, have heard the joke about the horse walking into a bar and the bar tender asks: “So why the long face?”
But I bet you haven’t heard this one:
Three people walk into a store to buy quail bedding and leave with a pet rabbit.
Not a joke though, because it’s exactly what happened to us in July when a certain little bunny leapt out of his pen and straight into our hearts.
Here he is: Little Nate Bunnykins ~
Nate Bunnykins July 2015
(c) Sherri Matthews
Strange, despite the vast array of pets we’ve owned over the years, we’ve never had rabbits.
So why that day and why this particular bunny? Nobody could have been more surprised than I. We always stop to ooh and ahh at the cute bunnies; and the degus; and the hamsters and rats; and all the pets up for adoption. But it stops there. Until we saw Bunnykins.
Or rather, until he saw us.
He was alone, separated from the group of other bunnies in the pen next to him. Not knowing much at all about pet bunnies, but guessing he was young (he was, ten weeks young), we wondered out loud why he wasn’t with the others.
And while we wondered, that little bunny hopped over to us, stood up on his hind legs and wiggled his sweet nose, all the while pleading with his soulful, brown eyes, “Please take me home, I promise to be a good little bunny!”
What choice do you have when a bunny does that?
Not knowing much anything about pet bunny ownership, we had a lot of questions to ask and discovered he was alone because he was the last of his litter. Nobody wanted him as he ‘wasn’t as pretty as his siblings’ who were fluffy and spotty and all that cutesy stuff.
We couldn’t believe it. To us, he is the most beautiful bunny in the world.
But because he was about to go up for adoption, we got all his vaccinations, health checks, microchipping and yes, even his neutering done for free, which was an added bonus we hadn’t expected. (We still would have taken him as we had already fallen in love, and yes, when I say ‘we’, that includes Hubby…).
Now six months old, Bunnykins is as adored as ever. He is naughty (already chewed through a wire or two), grumpy at times (he did just get neutered so who can blame him?), and impossible to catch when we let him loose in the living room.
But I get payback stroking his warm, silky fur as he snuggles up next to me of an evening, and my heart melts.
Eddie is very good, but mostly runs away from him:
What is it Mummy…?
Eddie & Bunnykins getting to know one another…
(c) Sherri Matthews 2015
Maisy loves to cuddle with him, sort of…
Maisy (not sure about this) and Bunnykins (I just wants to be friends!)
(c) Sherri Matthews 2015
Bunny brings us great joy, not to mention laughter. While in France in September and struggling with my limited French in trying to explain to the hosts of our Gite that we had a pet rabbit, I realised that I told them we had a pet bread instead. (Got my ‘le pain’ and ‘lapin’ mixed up. C’est la vie…).
All in all, you could say we are Happy Bunnies.
*******
Charli’s flash fiction prompt this week asks us:
‘In 99 words (no more, no less) write a story that reveals or explores a moment of serendipity. How did it come about? What did it lead to? You can express a character’s view of the moment or on serendipity in general. Use the element of surprise or show how it is unexpected or accidentally good.’
What of this word ‘serendipity’? The Oxford dictionary defines it as:-
‘The occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way.’
Serendipity definitely played its part the day we met Bunnykins, for both human and animal. It’s played its part many times throughout my life, not least of all through blogging.
I think of my lovely blogging friend Patsy Parker who surprised me early last year by painting a copy of one of my photographs and naming it ‘Sherri’s Ocean‘ (I had never had anything painted for me, much less named for me before, it was a beautiful gesture).
Recently, she surprised me again by sending this delightful drawing of Bunnykins from a photo she’d seen on my Facebook page. I love it!
Nate Bunnykins drawn by Patsy Parker for me. Thank you so much dear Patsy!
This post should have gone out yesterday, but the day’s frustrations and a late appointment put paid to that. And I was thinking how there have been times in my life when I’ve felt like little Bunnykins, separate from the ‘pack’, not knowing where I really belong, waiting for, well, for something…
It seems that serendipity had one last say for this post, and I needed to wait because this morning, I happened to read a little blurb about C S Lewis and J R R Tolkien and how they used to meet regularly at a well-known pub in Oxford with their writer friends, encouraging and inspiring one another.
And of course, out of those meetings, those two incredible authors eventually gave us The Chronicles of Narnia and The Lord of the Rings.
Reading this reminded me of a visit we took to Oxford some years ago and of having lunch in that very same pub, The Eagle and Child:
Not a great photo, for some reason this is the only I could find. Better pics and info seen on the link above…
Life was relatively calm for me and my family that spring day in 2008, as it had been for some years after a sustained time of turmoil.
Sitting in that pub, with its tiny, dark rooms, the wood paneling permeated with the smell of smouldering firewood, I let my imagination run wild at the thought of Tolkein and Lewis sitting in that very same place decades earlier, smoking their pipes, drinking ale, chatting about their latest endeavours.
I listened to their whispers in the shadows of stories yet to be written, and wondered when that time would come for me, as I harboured long-held hopes of writing the book burning deep within my heart. But that day, it all seemed like a distant dream.
One day, I told myself, maybe one day…
But one day was a few years off, and when it arrived, it did so unexpectedly. More troubles awaited, but the day I walked out my job for the last time having been laid off, I had no way of knowing that actually, my boss had given me the best gift of all: my passport out of my rabbit pen, setting me free to chase my dream.
Wheels were already spinning, taking me to the place where I was meant to be. Because of all that happened in the years to follow, writing my book is no longer a dream, but a reality.
And I needed to be reminded of all this, as I asked myself how a post about a bunny, dreams and an old English pub made sense. We cannot possibly know what life may yet spring upon us, but along the way, we can cherish and be grateful for those moments of sweet serendipty.
*******
Finally, and on that note, here is my flash, in 99 words, no more, no less. A bit more fun with Ethel and Fred and another certain visitor. Hope you enjoy:
Lucky Moon
Lucky Moon?
(c) Sherri Matthews 2015
His beady eyes watched as the back door slowly opened and a woman appeared, shotgun in hand.
She’d seen him.
“Keep still yer little sod…that’s right…” Ethel had him in her sights, about to pull the trigger, when startled by footsteps.
She zoomed round to face Fred.
“Ethel, please let me in, I’m cold and hungry!”
“What the…is that a nightie? Get in yer moron, we need words. But first…”
She swung back around but her prey had gone.
Safe in his burrow, he thanked his lucky moon that he hadn’t ended up a rabbit pie that night.
*******
This post also is linked to Michelle’s Weekly Pet Share. Click on the link for more photos of beautiful creatures great and small!
A View From My Summerhouse 
Aw…Natekins is just so adorable, Sherri. It looks like he enjoys snuggling. ❤
Gosh, that Patsy, she's amazing and so talented! I have the hummingbird she drew for me, on display in my new writing room. She's a sweetheart.
"Rabbit pie!" No!!!!!!
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Awww….thank you, Jill! 🙂 I appreciate that so much.
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🙂 ❤
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Little Bunny Natekins…snuggling for you Jill 🙂 ❤ Patsy is so talented, I love her art, and I remember you sharing about the beautiful hummingbird picture she drew for you 🙂 Hear this Patsy, we think you're wonderful, and yes, a sweetheart 🙂
Ha…no rabbit pie, I couldn't do that! I told Natekins to put his paws (or is it feet?) over his ears when I wrote this!!!!
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I’ve been away from the blogosphere for a little bit, but it was so good to read your post Sherri! Nate Bunnykins looks absolutely adorable. I’m 100% impressed that your cats haven’t eaten him for dinner! I’m very intrigued to learn that Tolkein and Lewis actually knew each other, I had no idea. It’s funny how little moments in life get tied together in the strangest ways. Who would have though that as you sat in an old English pub your dreams of writing a book would actually get set in motion?! Hope you’re having a lovely week Sherri. xoxo Heather
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Hi Heather, lovely to see you again, I noticed on FB that you’ve been having some wonderful adventures 🙂 Haha…everyone asks how the cats are with bunny, and they are really good. We were a bit worried at first, but it seems that cats and rabbits make good friends given time, and no sign of any eating to be had! I’m glad that I could share that with you about Lewis and Tolkien, and yes, those moments of ‘serendipty’ make for good reminders! A good week, thank you so much, I hope your week is going well too! 🙂 xoxo
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Love the flash (though I was thinking, “She’s not going to go there…no…it’s not a bunny”) but, alas, it was. You crack me up, lady. And OH the cuteness of your dear, sweet furchildren! All of them. ❤ And, really, what choice did you have? None. You just didn't. Cute! I knew that those two authors (whatever their names…) hung out together chatting about their writing but you actually went to the pub they met in?! Envious! Great post, Sherri.
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*Bows head*…. Yes Sarah, I did…shameful isn’t it? But…you knew I wasn’t going to let Ethel get her rabbit, surely!! 😀 Haha…glad I made you laugh, I’m having a blast with these two as I told Charli, not sure what’s come over me…or them!
No choice Sarah, none at all…and I take full blame 😛
Love it… ‘furchildren’ 😀 I don’t have grandchildren (yet….ha!) but I tell everyone I have grandkittens as both boys have or have had cats 🙂 Furgrandchildren!
Yes, that pub…think that would be a good place to start when you come over, before we visit a castle and get our cheese & pineapple toasties 🙂
Glad you enjoyed…thanks so much ❤
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How adorable! Lovely story, Sherri 🙂
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Hi Amy, thank you so much!! 🙂
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What an adorable story Sherri. I’m a firm believer in serendipity, and also fate. It was meant to be that the bunny found you. :)<3
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It was meant to be, bunny was there, ready and waiting! Who knew I would love a bunny so much? 😉 Thanks so much Debby! 🙂 ❤
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❤
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Sherri, I’m so glad you’re back to blogging! Nate is cute. Bunny fur is so soft.
Glad to hear from Ethel and Fred!
Is your book about that horrible neighbor?
Serendipity is a beautiful thing.
Melinda
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Hi Melinda! Great to see you again, thank you so much! Looking forward to catching up with you, I’m a bit slow on the blogging front, but I’ll get there! Ahh…yes, bunny fur is deligthful isn’t it? And he is so smart…I had no idea! Thanks for asking about my book, if you want, you can read the short book blurb here https://sherrimatthewsblog.com/memoir-book-blurb/ It’s not about the neighbour, but who knows, maybe I’ll put that in a book one day…Hope all is well with you, see you soon! 🙂
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Not about the neighbor?? Well, maybe next time. I really think you need to exorcise that demon, by writing him away. But, that’s just my opinion. What’s important is what you feel to write about. I’ll go check it out, thanks.
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One of these days Melinda, one of these days…and thanks for reading the link!
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Love your house rabbit, he looks to have settled in nicely 🙂
I think you guys had better stay away from pet shops though, maybe order your pet bedding online! Have a great week Sherri, and I am so glad Ethel missed the rabbit… 🙂
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See how long it took me to get around to this post Jude? Ha…speaking of rabbits, how did it go in the end with your rabbit-sitting, so to speak? Haha…yes, seriously! Although I can’t blame this totally on Daughter. When hubby saw us both with ‘the look’ he had no where to run!! Thanks so much Jude, I hope your week is going well too…and you know that no way was I going to let Ethel get her rabbit pie, that night or any other 😉 xx
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Your little Nate Bunnykins is so cute, and it looks like he knew you were going to be the right people to look after him.
That picture of him drawn by your friend Patsy is brilliant.
Loved the flash fiction story as well, and glad that there was no rabbit pie for tea! 🙂
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Thanks so much Edwina! The woman at the pet store said as we were leaving that she could tell that Bunnykins was going to be ‘one happy bunny’! Yes, Patsy is an amazing artist, she does a lot of art on her blog which I linked to. So glad you enjoyed the flash, Fred isn’t getting any rabbit pie any time soon, not if I can help it 😉
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What a lovely story Sherri – I believe our animals always choose us. We see it when we are paying attention 🙂 The photo of Maisie and Bunnykins made me smile – Orlando has the same half pained cuddling relationship with Siddy from time to time……… The drawing is lovely, that is a kind, generous and thoughtful friend!! And of course Fred and Ethel keep me smiling too.
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Thank you Pauline, so glad you enjoyed it 🙂 Ha…yes, good point, ‘when we are paying attention’. It reminds me of another story when my eldest son was a little boy and we drove miles to look at a car we hoped to buy. The car was a piece of rusty junk, but the owner was a cat rescuer with loads of cats and kittens roaming her place, so you know what I’m going to say next…yep, we came home with a kitten, our Willow who we had until the day she died at 14, dearly loved and a most wonderful family pet, missed still…
Haha…yes, I can well imagine Orlando’s look, cats are so good at that ‘half-pained’ look aren’t they?
Patsy is so kind and an amazing artist, I couldn’t wait to share her beautiful drawing of Bunnykins 🙂
And so glad these silly flashes are giving you smiles…I can’t seem to get away from them at the moment! Hope you’re having a good week Pauline, I’ll be catching up with you shortly 🙂 xo
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Ah yes, I wonder how many of us go out to get something mundane and come home with a new pet – sigh!! 🙂
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🙂
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Love the picture of Bunnykins. He’s really cute, especially when curled up next to Maisy. Ethel + a shotgun sounds like a very dangerous combination. 😕
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Thank you so much Sylvia! Yes, Bunnykins is a cutie for sure 🙂 Haha…definitely! Ethel is not a woman to be trifled with…no wonder poor Fred’s scared to go home! 😮 😉 😛
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Sherri, I’m so happy you can see the moments of serendipity in your life, truly it is in the flip between the good things and the bad. You hold on to your bunny and your dream! And you are killing me with these Fred and Ethel stories! I can see these two characters so clearly! Big hugs to you and Bunnykins (love his drawing)! ❤
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Thank you so much Charli, see what your prompts do to us? You got me to remember these ‘flip between the coin’ moments and the timing couldn’t have been better 🙂
And yes, I’m holding on, even though Bunny is good at giving the slip…but I won’t let him or my dreams slip away 🙂
Haha…I’m having a blast with these two, so glad you are too! I honestly don’t know where it all comes from, but like you, I can see them so clearly that now I actually can’t get rid of them, which I hope is a good thing… !
I knew you’d love Patsy’s beautiful drawing 🙂
Big hugs right back to you Charli…and here’s to the magic/luck/blessing of serendipty…and wiggly bunny noses 😀 ❤
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I love your story, Sherri! Thanks so much for posting the drawing of Nate Bunnykins! I enjoyed doing that so much! I’m happy you love it. I appreciate your friendship as well as your support of my art. Love you bunches! Have a great day.
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Thanks so much Patsy,! It’s my pleasure, I’m just so glad to be able at last to get this long-awaited post up! I’m so excited to share your beautiful drawing here with everyone, as you can see, it’s a big hit as so it should be 🙂 I was so excited and suprised the day you sent it to me on FB. Love you bunches back…and you have a great day too! 🙂 ❤
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You’re such a great friend, Sherri! I wish I could talk to you. I would love to hear your accent! In fact, I’d love to hear Jill’s, too! 🙂
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It would be great wouldn’t it 😀
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Having had numerous bunnies in my childhood, and lived with one named Leroy whom a suitor of my sister’s had brought over one Easter, and who with our pup Princess roamed loose in the house, I enjoyed your post. It must be true that its not always people who choose pets, but pets who choose their people. I enjoyed even more your reflections on Tolkien and Lewis and The Eagle and Child. I lived for two years across from The Flask in Highgate, and still miss the wonderful dark paneling and blackened tables and sense of history, not to mention slurping my pints of ale out of traditional glasses. As for your flash, thank goodness for the Freds of the world…that Edna sounds quite intimidating. Just love that bit about “Git in yer moron!” She doesn’t mince words 🙂 Well done Sherri!
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Ahh…so you are definitely a seasoned bunny owner then Jeanne! My brother and I had one pair of rabbits as children, but I don’t remember them doing much and Mum saying she didn’t like the idea of them being kept outside in a hutch. We never had them again, but then she was busy breeding and raising Siamese cats, so they took all our attention at the time.
Love the thought of Leroy roaming around the house with your pup Princess 🙂
Yes, you know just the kind of old pub I’m talking about and those traditional glasses. I missed pubs so much when I lived in CA. If you ever come to England again, I look forward to sharing a drink with you at an old boozer 🙂
Haha…yes, Ethel is quite the woman, scares me too! So glad you enjoyed the flash thank you so much for your lovely comment Jeanne 🙂
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I am way overdue for a visit to your blessed isle 🙂 Can’t think of anything more appealing that meeting up with you at an old boozer! And oh dear, I’ve got lots of bunny stories from childhood. My favorites involve a black and white dynamo named Sprite and a big, fat lop-eared one named Thumper. My sisters and I spent hours looking for them in the nearby citrus orchards (before they cut them all down for new housing developments) when the bunnies dug holes under the fence in the backyard and escaped. But I am intrigued by your mother’s Siamese cats! What a unique endeavor. My hub can’t stand the idea of an animal in the house but when I fantasize about having a cat again, I always picture a Siamese or a chocolate Burmese. Ahh….
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How wonderful that would be! Ahh, those bunnies are prime escape artists aren’t they? And so smart too! Mum bred Siamese and we had two, Misty, a blue point, and Ming, a seal point (Misty’s daughter). I have many happy memories of helping Mum feed the kittens, naughty though they were! She and Dad also ran a Cattery at the end of our garden. They built six sheds all with private runs, heating, the works. Sadly, all that ended when they split up…but that’s a whole other story, hey ho
I hope you get your Siamese or Burmese one of these days Jeanne…I would love a Bengal kitty one day, but of course nothing could compare with our black moggie Eddie and grey and white tabby Maisy 😉
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What a heartwarming story about Bunnykins. Rabbits are actually smart and make good house pets and are trainable. I found this out about 20 odd years ago while visiting a couple with a friend who knew them.
So,the ‘wearer’ of the nightie returns. Smooth move, Sherri. Charming 99. 🙂 ❤ ❤
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You’ve got that right Tess, we had no idea how smart rabbits are! Bunnykins is litter trained (the pet store did that) which is great and we are letting him be a house rabbit and trying to train him so he knows where he can and can’t go. But there are too many hidey-holes for him to disappear beneath at the moment, so we need to get creative!
Yes, Fred returns, tail between his legs so to speak, and let’s see what Ethel does next. She’s not one to mess with…but at least Bunny got away 🙂 Thanks so much Tess! 🙂 ❤ 🙂
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I knew a family who had a Bunnykins as a house rabbit and I was blown away.
I do wonder what Ethel has up her sleeve… o: ❤
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Yes, these bunnies are full of surprises. Haha…let’s see, later today… 🙂 😛 ❤
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Back in the early 70s dad had this good life idea involving growing more produce and keeping rabbitts for meat. My little cousins used to visit and play with said rabbits. ‘Don’t name them,’ said dad (my brother and I were at a meah teenage boy stage) but they did. Dad couldn’t actually do the deed. That fell to mum. Next visit. ‘Where’s Fiver and Hyacynth Lay?’ Cue shuffling feet and no eye contact and floods of tears. My cousin Louise has never recovered. Just as well in your flash there was a happy ending. Too much bunny trauma in my life already.
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Oh no!!!! That is WAY too much bunny trauma Geoff! No way was I going to let Ethel get her rabbit pie, tonight or any other night. Your story reminds me of a woman who lives near our friends’ place in France who keeps rabbits in several hutches at the front of her house. I thought they were pets unitl I was put right and told they were for food 😦 I should have known, but I’ve never been able to eat rabbit…and especially now! Glad the happy ending helped a little… 🙂
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Adorable pictures of your pet and a heartwarming story.
Speaking of pets, they do bring so much of joy and warmth in our lives. They become a part of us, don’t they? And that part of us dies when they pass away.
Shakti
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Thank you so much Shakti! You are so right about pets, they bring us so much joy and then break our hearts…and what would we do without them?
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I’m slowly coming to have a soft spot for Fred, Sherri. Maybe a rabbit hutch somewhere? 🙂 I love the look of ‘almost tolerance’ on your cat’s face. I have a friend with a Peter Rabbit who colonises the back of her settee. An expensive friend 😦 Glad life’s being kind to you right now. You’ve sure worked hard for it.
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I’m glad to hear that Jo, Fred is harmless after all, as well as clueless 😉 I wouldn’t want him near Bunnykins though on a full moon 😮 Ahh Jo…that’s so lovely of you to say, thank you so much … 🙂 xx
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Oh, I’ve missed you. This made up for it. I found a rabbit outside one night and brought it in. It had been someone’s pet. The dog and the cat were fascinated but loved the company. They do well under the right circumstances. I think they pick up your vibes. That is one sweet bunny. Loved your story too. Made me laugh. You are so good at the writing and thanks for the history lesson. 🙂 Hugs
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Lovely to see you Marlene, and I admit it’s nice to missed and I missed you too! How amazing you found a pet rabbit outside and it let you bring it in! I do think that dogs and cats do well with rabbits as I’m coming to find out! I do think animals pick up on our vibes, definitely. I’m so glad you enjoyed the story and it made you laugh, that makes my day to know that and how kind you are about my writing, thank you so much Marlene and hugs right back to you…and hoping that soon everything will be well with you again, moving in the right direction 🙂 xo
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Thanks so much for stopping by Sherri. Everything works out ok in the end. I’ll keep working on the vision too. I’ve had a lot of animals follow me home. It’s a gift. 🙂 I love your stories so keep them coming.
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They really do don’t they? I love visiting you and I love your life philosophy and I know I keep saying that…but…it’s true 🙂 And I’ll do my best with the stories… 😉
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Delightful read! Sweet Nate Bunnykins has brought you all so much joy. Pets have such a way of enriching our lives even when they are naughty! 😉 The flash fiction, as always, left me wanting more!! Great way to start the day. xoxoxo
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Haha…yes, even when they are naughty!!! And we both know all about that 😀 What would we do without our pets? Remember your hermit crab? And didn’t you have a spider once too, that you said waved to you? Remember how you adopted Puddles when we left? We could write a book about all the pets we’ve known and loved…along with the other book, ha 😉 So glad you enjoyed the flash too, I can’t seem to get away from Fred and Ethel at the moment! Hugs dear friend and thank you so much! xoxoxox
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Hi again, I forgot to say how much I enjoyed reading about your visit to C S Lewis and J R R Tolkien old haunt. Awesome!! 🙂 ❤ ❤ ❤
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One for the trip, one of these days… 🙂 ❤ ❤ ❤
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Hi Sherri!
I just love your bunny Bunnykins! And he seems to get along with the cats. Our cat was not always that friendly. Being only half the size of the bunnies he tried to chase them through the garden. Hard to catch up for me though 😉
You fiction is fantastic; showing your talent as always.
Best, Ilka
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Hi Ilka! I’m so glad you enjoyed reading about little Bunnykins and yes, he is doing okay with the cats. Maisy hissed at him at first but seems intrigued with him now. Bunnykins lops after the cats but they usually are the ones running off, big sissies, ha! It is a learning curve, but so far so good 🙂 Thank you so much for your lovely comment, thrilled you enjoyed the flash 😀
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Combine your wonderful storytelling and your friend’s art, and there’s a wonderful Maisy and Nate Bunneykins book just waiting for a chance to blossom, Sherri! This is a terrific tale–tails?–that will capture the imaginations of adults as well as children! Brava, Sherri!!!
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Love it… ‘Terrific Tales/Tails’ 🙂 What great food for thought, as always, Marylin…hmmmmm!! Thank you so much for your great ideas, so glad you enjoyed it! 😀
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What a post, Sherri. So much to think about: bunnies, dreams and serendipity with an Edna and Fred tidbit to top it all off! Lucky little bunny – wouldn’t have happened to yours.
Nate Bunnykins is so adorable. I can’t believe he was the last to be adopted. I love the story of him choosing you. But then, who wouldn’t? Thank you for introducing me to degus. I hadn’t heard of them before.
I didn’t know that C.S, Lewis and Tolkien were friends either. (I am an ignorant miss!) so that was a very interesting tale. That was something I loved about being in Paris and London both. Visiting haunts of favourite writers, artists and philosophers. I stayed in a hotel in Paris that Sigmund Freud had stayed in! (I don’t think it had been cleaned since then but that’s beside the point!) I also had lunch at the cafe where Satre and Picasso used to meet and discuss the meanings of life (or whatever!)
How wonderful that you can now look back and see that being made redundant was the best thing that happened, allowing you to work on your book, which is nearly ready to take out of the oven and serve up to your eagerly awaiting audience. I’m definitely looking forward to my piece!
Thank you for this wonderfully rich post. I enjoyed reading it, contemplating your wisdom, and admiring the beautiful photos. Ooh that bunny. He is sooooo adorable. 🙂
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Oh Norah, what a fantastic comment! I loved reading about all the places you’ve visited once frequented by famous folk…I had to laugh about the ‘not been cleaned since’ bit 😀 I’m so glad to introduce you to degus (and the friendship between Lewis and Tolkien, both of whom attended Oxford, naturally,)…and there I thought I was the only one who didn’t know what they were until we saw them at the pet store! Of course, my daughter is desperate to get one but we have quite enough pets for one little house…cute or not!! And yes, Bunnykins is a cutie, although we can’t let him out at the moment as he has destroyed a few wires so we are having to get him some kind of run…but he’s got a nice sized pen indoors and we take him out for cuddles and a run on the furniture…he’s litter trained so that’s good! 🙂 The book is bubbling away in that oven, but yesterday I faced a big freeze in trying to edit the first five chapters, something that’s been eating away at me (pardon the pun!) since I finished the first draft four weeks ago. It was a mess but I managed to get it down to the first chapter and that first line for which I’ve been searching. I think
I can’t wait for you to read it…but I warn you, there are some things there are not pretty. But they have to be there. So…pressing on, I have to think of my post for Charli today…but no bunnies in danger this time. Something a little more sinister methinks… 😉 Thanks so much Norah!
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No matter how cute they are, pets always require special handling and accommodation, don’t they? I wonder how long you’ll be able to hold out on the request for one or two degus!
I’m so excited you found your first sentence. Once you get that, the rest flows (one hopes!)
Funny you say about Lewis and Tolkien again. I didn’t even know they were contemporaries, let alone friends. Wouldn’t it be great to have a timeline of authors’ lives with friendship connections shown. It would be an interesting thing to see and to perhaps compare similar and dissimilar influences. It will become more complex now, I think, with these online communities of writers and friendship groups.
I look forward to reading your ghoulish story for Charli’s prompt. What will Fred be up to this time I wonder.I’ll be checking it out for sure! 🙂
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Thanks Norah…and I will do my very best to hold out on the degus…I really will!!! 😀
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I await the next installment in the saga! 🙂
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🙂
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Thank you for introducing us to Nate Bunnykins, Sherri. He’s adorable and I’m sure is very thankful to you for saving him. I love the very first photo of him, especially with that seaside cushion just behind him.
Only yesterday we were in a local pet store picking up some treats for Toby, and we saw a rabbit in a cage with a sign saying that he was up for adoption because he had been in the store for such a long time. I felt so sorry for him and would have adopted him but I don’t think a certain cardigan corgi would have been too happy about that! However, by the time we left, it was wonderful to see a family which included two young children announcing that they had come to give him a home. Phew, I wiped away the tears all the way home.
I would have loved to have seen Ethel’s face when she saw Fred in that nightie. They make a great pair and I’m so glad you are keeping them here on your blog. I wonder what adventures await them both?
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My pleasure Hugh! You know how it is with our beloved pets as part of the family 🙂 Interesting you point out the seaside cushion…I saw it at an RNLI gift shop and my daughter got it for me as a present a couple of years ago, I love anything with a seaside theme. In fact, I keep meaning to get material to make seaside curtains for my summerhouse…three years and still ‘meaning’…!
Oh what a delightful story about ‘your’ bunny…so happy to know he found a loving home. It is so sad isn’t it to see these pets that are left alone like that. We just couldn’t bare to leave Bunnykins behind. But yes, you are right, your little fellow wouldn’t be too happy with such a ‘friend’. We were worried about the cats but it turned out okay, but then again, cats…dogs…very different breeds aren’t they? As it is, Bunnykins lops after them and they run away after a while!!
Haha…Ethel is definitely running out of patience and it’s about time she gives Fred a good talking to. Let’s see what happens later today, especially with the prompt which you’ll see. It is almost Halloween after all… 😉 Thank you so much for your great comment Hugh, and for your ongoing support and encouragement of my flash fiction…I’m thrilled you are enjoying the adventures of Fred and Ethel so much 🙂
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Nate Bunnykins, friend of cats, I bet that a bit heart stopping the first time, I’m glad you got the last and best bunny of the pack…litter. He is so cute.
Life is strange but it is a journey and one that I hope will become wild in a fairly calm sort of way soon, a bit like your story that once again caught me off guard like a compliment about my hair which really doesn’t deserve it.
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Haha…who knew? It was a bit heart stopping, definitely, as we weren’t sure, especially when Maisy hissed at him at first. Eddie just ran away, still does when little Bunnykins lops after him. Ahh…thanks so much Ste, I’m glad too. So wild in a ‘fairly calm sort of way’? Hmmmm…I am intrigued! A compliment about your hair should be well deserved…speaking of which, I like your new profile pic 🙂
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I hate having my photo taken but I look better than usual, I was caught on a good day I think hehe. It’s very rare it happens that I appear photogenic so set your alarm for 2018 when the next one is scheduled lol.
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LOL…it’s set! But I think it will happen a lot sooner than that my friend. This is a great photo of you 😉
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It is lovely to see Nate Bunnykins and Maisy getting on so well together. I think it is serendipitous for Nate as otherwise it would be a bit of cat and bunny then into tummy. How wonderful to hear those whisperings of Lewis and JRR Tolkien and even better to know you had achieved what you only wished for years before.
Thank you Fred for saving the bunny from rabbit pie. 🙂
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Haha…yes, into tummy is what we were worried about at first. Speaking of which, we visited Exmoor zoo at the weekend and we were amazed and excited to see The Exmoor Beast, a panther (black leopard). He is magnificent, but….there he was, eating a whole and entire rabbit, bone crunching the lot, I could barely stand it while we listened to the keeper’s talk about him. He looks like a massive version of Eddie 😉 I love that you got the serendipty ‘bit’ that it was Fred who saved the bunny, considering that it was the moon in the first place that brought Fred out as a werewolf, something he is yet to realise… No way was I going to let bunny be a pie… thanks Irene! 🙂
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I’d love to see the panther but like you I wouldn’t want to watch him eat a bunny. Yes ironic for Fred but perhaps if he’d known bunny wouldn’t have survived.
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Oh, Sherri how I loved this. That is one smart bunny. He knew exactly who to “pick” to take him home. He just won the jackpot with you. So glad to see Bunny and cats getting along,though the look on the face of Maisy is priceless! Great post 🙂
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Thanks so much Lilka, delighted you enjoyed it 🙂
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Your cat and your bunny are friends??? How wonderful to see them cuddling up together!
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So long as we keep an eye on them, wouldn’t like to think what could happen if we left them alone together…yikes! Thanks Ali! 🙂
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Yes… best not think too much about that hehe! I prefer to think of them as best pals, or partners in crime, that would be funny! For me but not you, I suspect, lol. I wonder what mischief the could possibly get up to together…
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Haha…I can only imagine…and won’t put it to the test!!! Partners in crime fits the bill a little too close for comfort I think…. !
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Cute baby bunny, isn’t it sweet the way babies have big heads for their bodies? He is a lovely colour too and looks quite the adventurer – does he go out and about much (two of my friends were having an argument the other day about how much they should let the bunny roam the house.)
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Yes, so cute! I think he is the classic ‘Peter Rabbit’ and fell instantly in love with him 🙂 We let him out of his pen in the living room every evening (we moved him indoors out of his outdoor hutch when it started getting colder, since it is just him). But he chews wires and we have to block off so many areas where he can do damage. We’re having a rethink as to the best way around it…some kind of bunny run, but we are running out of room! I hope your friends resolve their bunny argument!
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Awww…what a lovely story and that picture with the kitty made us melt 🙂 Pawkisses for a wonderful day 🙂 ❤
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Thank you so much dear angelswhisper for your lovely pawkisses, so glad you enjoyed it 🙂
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Absolutely adorable. Thank you for sharing with us Sherri 🌺
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Thank you so much Michelle, have a wonderful weekend 🙂
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Bunnykins is so handsome. How shallow of people not seeing that, but what an advantage for you. The others might have been superficially prettier, but I bet they’re stuffed in rabbit hutches and don’t have the privilege of hopping around the sitting-room, chewing wires, snuggling up to a cat, and sit with their adoring owners of an evening. I love the way you linked this post up, Sherri, with how you started writing and with you ongoing flash fiction series. You are an incredibly productive blogger. xxxx
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I don’t understand it either Sarah, he is Peter Rabbit incarnate, and yes, it is a lovely feeling knowing Bunnykins is so well loved and cared for. Just this morning I had to smile as I walked into the living room and saw Maisy sprawled out on one sofa, Eddie on the other and Bunnykins lying on his side in his pen by the piano. Talk about pets at home 😀 It’s lovely knowing our pets are so warm, comfortable and safe isn’t it? And thank you so much Sarah, how lovely of you. I never think of myself as a productive blogger, just flying by the seat of my pants, so I take what you say as such a wonderful compliment. You know how it is, we tap away and keep going…as much as possible! xxxx
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Still catching up on blog visits and somehow I landed here – congrats on bunnykins – laughing at why he was grumpy at first (the neutering- lol) and oh my gosh – really laughing at the pet bread!!! Bah!
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Haha…glad you stumbled upon Bunnykins, mon amie! Glad he gave you some good laughs. I felt like a right twit about the bread, lol 😀
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well the trip to France sounds like it has lots of these little tidbits and stories….
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Quite a few… 😉
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